Although it is the drivers who must exercise extreme caution and be aware that they carry a dangerous machine in their hands, pedestrians also have their share of responsibility for road safety. And they don't always comply. The number of pedestrians crossing through inappropriate places or crossing when the traffic lights are red is alarming, and despite this, the penalties imposed by the councils on pedestrians are anecdotal. The fines are so exceptional that many times passers-by themselves are unaware that their conduct can be penalized. However, it is so. The Traffic Law, whose last update was approved just a few months ago, includes not only the traffic regulations that drivers must respect but also those that those who travel on foot must follow, as well as the sanctions that will punish those who do not comply.
Crossing the street outside pedestrian crossings or walking on the road when there is a suitable pedestrian area to do so can be penalized with a fine of 80 euros. The same amount can be imposed by security forces on those who do not walk on the left outside the urban area or on those who travel on the motorway or highway. Meanwhile, skipping a red light can cost 200 euros. Under the new law, pedestrians are required to undergo alcohol or drug tests if they are involved in an accident or if they have committed an offense. In this case, if the result of those tests is positive, the fine can reach one thousand euros, and there will also be a penalty if the pedestrian refuses to submit to the controls. According to data from the Directorate General of Traffic, one in five pedestrians run over during 2014 had consumed alcohol. Also according to the DGT data, between 40 and 50% of the abuses that occur in Galicia are due to infractions by the pedestrians themselves, who often forget that they are the weakest element on the road. Despite this, opinions on the timing of the fines are mixed. Facing those who bet on the pedagogical value of sanctions are those who believe that, especially when we talk about urban environments, the priority of pedestrians is above everything else. That philosophy prevails, for example, in the city of Pontevedra, which is multi-awarded for its pedestrianization work. «Pontevedra prioritizes peonil mobilidade by riba de calque outra. Isto suppose that here no penalty was imposed, no provision is made, "explains a spokesman for this Council, adding that there are also no plans to carry out" campaigns to direct the peons, given that in the city of Pontevedra and two seus citizens, and two vehicles.
Daniel Mancelle, head of the Local Police of this council, believes that "the pawns have to respect the norm e facer or that they dye what to do", but in his opinion "your advisers will pay due attention and moderate speed, is to would change moito. Calquera two that we lift a car nas mans we know that we can run into a person, so mellor pick up or hit the accelerator and pounce as much attention as possible. "As in Pontevedra, Ourense, the city where the alarm has gone off Due to the high number of abuses, it imposed fines last year on any pedestrian for crossing improperly. To tackle the accident rate, the Council and the Administrations with competences in traffic agreed last week to reinforce the presence of Local Police officers on the street and develop awareness campaigns on road safety.
In A Coruña, a total of 70 pedestrian fines were processed throughout 2015, although only three of them were due to infractions such as not crossing the crosswalk or crossing with the red light. The other sanctions had to do with carrying out invasive activities that endangered people and circulation. In Ferrol, complaints are processed in serious cases, such as the recent one of a person who did not cross the pedestrian crossing and who, when the agents called his attention, not only crossed, but also disrespected him. In recent years, this city has imposed a fine on pedestrians a year.
79 Traffic complaints Outside the urban centers, Traffic is the department in charge of road safety. This department also launched a campaign in Galicia last year aimed at pedestrians. Developed between February 23 and December 15, it resulted in the delivery of 240 reflective vests to vulnerable pedestrians and with 79 complaints of conduct that implied a risk to the safety of the pedestrian and vehicle users. 67 % of these fines, a total of 53, had as a reason to travel on the road or the shoulder at night without wearing high visibility garments. Meanwhile, 17.72% of the people fined in this campaign by the General Directorate of Traffic were fined for walking on highways or expressways without just cause. In total 14 fines were imposed for this reason.
None of the 15 pedestrians killed on the road wore reflective clothing. According to the balance that the General Directorate of Traffic made public on Monday, referring to the year 2015 and the roads under its jurisdiction, none of the 15 pedestrians who died from being run over during that period wore high clothing. visibility. Hence, Traffic insists on the need for this type of clothing to be used and hence also that the DGT itself distributes reflective vests among the highest risk groups. In any case, the balance of 2015 is a little better than that of the previous year. Thus, there were 167 collisions on the roads of the Traffic demarcation, 42 fewer than in 2014; and the 15 pedestrian deaths were also four fewer. The pedestrians who lost their lives on the road had an average age of 64 years. 72% were hit less than 10 kilometers from their home, and 53% at night.
2024 ©